Trouble is looming over the appointment of Ken Ogeto as
Solicitor General by President Uhuru Kenyatta after renowned activist Okiya
Omtatah moved to court on Friday.
Mr Omtatah went to court on Friday, arguing the appointment
was unconstitutional since President Uhuru Kenyatta did not follow procedures
and that there was no public participation.
He wants the court to stop Parliament from accepting Ogeto's
name for vetting.
Uhuru plucked a key ally and long-time aide, Solicitor
General Njee Muturi, from the powerful State Law Office where he was the
accounting officer. He appointed him the Deputy Chief of Staff and replaced him
with Ogeto.
Lawyer Ogeto is expected to bring discipline,
professionalism, strategic thinking and coordination to the government’s
response to legal issues.
On Tuesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta purged the State’s top
legal team following the resignation of Attorney-General Githu Muigai.
In place of Prof Muigai, the President picked Justice
Paul Kihara Kariuki, who has been heading the Appellate Court as the president.
He is set to be vetted by parliament.
Mr Ogeto is said to be a longtime friend to the president
and will be replacing Njee Muturi, now named deputy chief of staff.
Justice Kariuki, Mr Ogeto, and Mr Muturi will join
no-nonsense Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, the conservative State
House comptroller Kinuthia Mbugua, and Mr Nzioka Waita, the Chief of Staff and
Head of the President’s Delivery Unit, bringing to fore President Kenyatta’s
intentions of a ruthless delivery run by a circle of friends he trusts.
